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Archie Writer Supports Boycott Of Winter Olympics In Russia

Dan Parent, Archie writer and creator of Kevin Keller, agrees with and supports a boycott of the Olympics in Russia by altering one of his upcoming storylines.

Russia’s anti-gay laws allow the arrest of foreigners suspected of being homosexual. It also defines any “pro-gay” statement as pornography.

“I’ve just been catching up on it, it’s really upsetting” Parent said.

Dan Parent created Archie’s first openly gay character Kevin Keller, who immediately became one of the most popular characters in the series. Now Kevin Keller stars in his own series.

In an upcoming story, the Riverdale gang goes on a world tour which now excludes Russia.

“Russia should be boycotted, so much that actually in an upcoming special four-issue story arc I’m writing the Archie gang are going to take a world tour to four countries. Russia was to be one of them. But they’re not going there now. They just can’t and they won’t. They love and support Kevin.”

Since the introduction of Kevin Keller, Parent has taken on the issues of bullying, homophobia, the repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell and same-sex marriage through comics.

Boycotts [including one of the 2014 winter Olympics in Russia] have been gathering speed since president Vladimir Putin signed into law the ban of “propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations around minors”.